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1889 Map of Wilmington

Name: 1889 Topographic Map of Wilmington
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1942
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1942

About this map

The Deerfield River carves a deep path through the southern Green Mountains in this late 19th-century reconnaissance survey, capturing a landscape defined by timber, early industrial water power, and the narrow-gauge Hoosac Tunnel and Wilmington R. R. tracking the riverbank. This edition is particularly notable for its composite history: while the topographic data reflects the 1889 survey by G.E. Hyde, the 1942 reprint includes Whitingham Lake, providing a rare hybrid view of the valley as it transitioned from a network of river-bottom settlements like Davis Bridge to a landscape of hydro-electric reservoirs.

Settlement patterns follow the high-gradient streams, with small mill towns and crossroads such as Readsboro Falls, Jacksonville, and West Dover tucked into the steep-walled terrain. The map meticulously tracks the elevations of prominent peaks including Haystack Mountain and Hogback Mountain, which dominate the horizon above the farming communities of Whitingham and Searsburg. Local landmarks like Sadawga Pond and Ray Pond are clearly delineated, marking the high-country basins that fed the region's industry.